


What Good Eyes Can Catch

by Nikolai_Alexi



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Bucky Barnes & Clint Barton Friendship, Clint Barton & Natasha Romanov Friendship, Clint Barton Is a Good Bro, Clint is a Good Bean, Clint is pining after Phil, F/M, M/M, Natasha Romanov is fucking terrifying, Natasha is sick of all these feelings, Other, Overly Possessive Steve, Protective Clint Barton, Protective Natasha Romanov, Steve gets his ass kicked
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-24
Updated: 2018-09-24
Packaged: 2019-07-16 06:31:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16080422
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nikolai_Alexi/pseuds/Nikolai_Alexi
Summary: The first time it happens, Clint doesn’t pay much heed to it.The second time it happens, things don't go over well.The third time it happens, he talks to him.





	1. Eye See You

The first time it happens, Clint doesn’t pay much heed to it.

Barnes is new around the tower. Steve and Barnes had finally made peace with all the right people. They were both living in the tower along with Wanda and Sam.

Clint didn’t really pay much attention to Barnes in general, it was obvious the guy needed some space to clear his head (and Clint _definitely_ understood that) and with Steve looming over his shoulder every living moment of every single day, Clint couldn’t justify getting up in his space.

Sure, there were things he’d like to say to Barnes. Maybe even offer up some help. But not while Steve was around. And there weren’t many minutes that the supersoldier wasn’t around.

So when Clint, and his less than great hearing, overheard a muted argument between the two supersoldiers as they were suiting up, he was immediately drawn into the conversation.

“- it, Rogers! Just put the damn thing on and let’s go! We don’t have the time to be pussyfooting around like this.” Barnes snapped.

Clint could see Rogers’ face from where he was perched, and the man looked like a kicked puppy, “Buck…”

Clint could see Barnes’ fists, both metal, and flesh, clench in anger, “Don’t do that to me. Just put the damn thing on and let’s go.”

Steve threw his hands up in the air, “It takes away all your freewill, Buck! You can’t even communicate over the comms to let us know your position or status.”

“I highly doubt any of you are going to let a brainwashed assassin out of your sights, even in the middle of a fight.”

Steve looked shocked and hurt and dejected. Clint had to give Barnes bonus points for being able to knock the wind out of Captain America’s sails.

When Steve motioned for Barnes to turn around, he finally understood what the argument was all about.

Barnes wanted Steve to put the muzzle on.

And he does. Clint isn’t called Hawkeye for no reason, he can see things no one else can. And he doesn’t miss the look in Barnes' eyes when he hears the click of the muzzle underneath his hair.

There are so many emotions going through the soldier’s eyes, they’re almost unintelligible from each other. Fear and anger are on the surface, making his eyes hard and cold. But there’s relief in there. And uncertainty. Clint knows he needs to pay attention to Barnes, but he doesn’t interfere now. There’s a mission to be done.

* * *

The mission goes well. It’s quick and easy and even a bit fun. Clint keeps one eye on Barnes through the entire thing. Watching. Trying to sort out his next move.

By the time he gets back to the tower with the others, he has the beginnings of a plan forming. It was time to pull in the big guns.

He schedules an appointment with Doctor Madison the next time he’s at S.H.I.E.L.D. She calls him to make sure he’s okay and he assures her that the appointment isn’t to do with his own state of wellbeing.

He then goes to Phil’s office.

He pulls his biggest and most innocent puppy dog eyes and begs Phil to assign Rogers on a solo mission for at least a week. He explains everything that’s been going on in the tower and explains his plan for Barnes. His handler gives him a small smile and a warning about meddling, before ushering him out of the office with a: “I’ll see what I can do.”

He finds Natasha next and explains what he’s doing. She catches on quickly and gets Tony to give up Barnes’ file. She also tells him everything she knows about Barnes from when the Red Room had him.

Clint kisses her on the cheek and continues plotting.

* * *

It’s two weeks before he knows whether or not Phil was able to pull through getting Captain-Stick-Permanently-Lodged-in-His-Ass a solo assignment away from the tower. It’s a long and brutal argument between Rogers, Fury, and Coulson, but eventually, Rogers storms away looking every bit the intimidating man he is.

Coulson joins the other Avengers for breakfast at the insistence of Clint and Natasha. He leans over to Clint, in disguise of grabbing a muffin and whispers in his ear, “You better know what you’re doing, Barton, because if I just faced the eyebrows of judgment from my childhood idle for nothing, I assure you, you will pay. Dearly.”

It takes everything he has not to shoot orange juice out of his nose at his handler’s words. A quick glance at Barnes tells Clint the man had been listening or at least trying to. Good. He’ll be expecting something.

Rogers leaves the next morning at 0400 hours. Clint watches his S.H.I.E.L.D. quinjet fly off. He rubs his hands together. Operation James Barnes’ Mental Stability is ago.

* * *

James knows Barton is up to something. Ever since the spy had overheard his argument with Steve, he’d been watching him closer. He’d be wrong to say that the attention was annoying. Barton excluded calm, yet chaotic, energy and he could relate to it. He was a sniper just like Clint. The man could be creepily silent sometimes, and never shut up the next. If he was being honest with himself, James was curious as to what Barton wanted.

He tried to wait patiently. He really did. Tried to wait for Barton to corner him, made extra effort to be in Barton’s path far more than usual. But the man never did anything but smirk. So three days into Steve being gone and a quick text to Natalia, he walked out onto the roof of the tower to find Barton lying on the ledge throwing a purple bouncy ball up into the air and catching it.

Without looking in his direction, Barton remarks, “Didn’t think you’d show, Barnes.”

James felt a sarcastic smile grace his face, “Didn’t know I had an invitation.”

Barton grinned easily and in one move, swung up, grabbed the ball out of mid-air, and sat cross-legged on the edge of the roof, “Yeah, ya did.”

He shrugs, not really knowing what to say. Barton rolls his eyes with a teasing grin on his face.

“Sit down, Sarge, nobody here but you an’ me.” The surprise of following the teasing order didn’t register until he was blurting out, “You served?”

Barton tossed the ball at him and he caught it with his metal hand, “Yup. I was a Specialist for two years before they found out I forged my birth certificate and enlistment papers and threw me in a max security cell with murderers and terrorists.”

James’ jaw dropped, “How did..er, sorry. Not my place.”

Barton chuckled and waved off his statement, “Ask away, Barnes.”

He scrubs his hand across the back of his neck, “How did’ja, ya know, get out?”

Barton’s smile is positively predatory. James decides then and there he never wants to be on this man’s bad side. There is a roaring wave of danger behind him.

“I watched and waited for three months, started a huge fight in the mess at dinner time, nicked the keys off of a guard, walked into a supply closet, climbed into the vent shaft, stole civies from a guard’s locker, and climbed out via the vent,” As if he could sense James’ next question, he continued, “I worked as a contract merc for five years before going dark for a while. When I resurfaced, I took up a job that fell apart before it even started. Met Natasha on the job, tried to kill her, played spider and bird for a long time, she tried to kill me, played some more spider and bird, and tried to kill her again while pretty severely injured,” He took a breath here.

“Nat basically pulled me out of the sewers and patched me up. We formed a tentative truce and occasionally would work together. When I got caught in Vienna, she tried to track me down. Eventually, she hauled my ass out of a S.H.I.E.L.D. mission gone horribly wrong and got me back to my safehouse, where Coulson was waiting. She bailed and I spent most of my recovery time trying to find her.

“It took a couple months of convincing, but when she took a job she couldn’t handle, she called and I came running. We finished the job and I left her with an offer to join S.H.I.E.L.D. Every few months she’d call, checking in or needing help, and then one day, I got a call. She was in real trouble, dying on the streets of Madrid after a mission gone haywire. I called Phil, Dr. Madison, Dr. Dan Carter, and Fury and went after her.

“She almost didn’t make it. But she pulled through in the end and we’ve been working together since.”

James was hard pressed for words. It was hard to believe this kid was human sometimes, “So what’s this got to do with your hypervigilance on me, lately?”

Barton’s face drops it’s teasing smile and turns deathly serious. And he tells him about Loki.

Quite suddenly, James understands what Barton is doing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come bother me on [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/nikolai-alexi) and encourage my lazy ass to write!
> 
> Constructive criticism is appreciated! Let me know if you find any typos or anything!


	2. Eye Spy With My Little Eye...an angry Steve Rogers

It’s not so long before Clint hears a familiar argument. Steve is, again, arguing with James over the muzzle. This time, James is spitting like a cat and every inch the dangerous man he’s portrayed to be. They’ve already been arguing most the morning and this seems to be the icing on James’ cake. The supersoldier storms away and hustles onto the jet. Clint isn’t worried, Natasha is already on board. 

He makes his way to the jet and is greeted by a most peculiar sight. Natasha has her hand on James’ shoulder, from a distance it looks as though it is just resting there, but Clint can see that her nail are digging in viciously to the meat of his shoulder. The muzzle is snugly fastened around Barnes’ head. 

Steve is redder than a tomato and looks as though he’s about to kill something. Clint takes his place in the pilot’s chair and kicks on the engines. Natasha soon joins him. 

“Что было этим о?” _What was that about?_

“Джеймс и я должны были иметь небольшой разговор.” _James and I needed to have a little talk._

“Что происходит?” _What’s going on?_

“Я позволю ему говорить Вам это. Но он очень сердит. Я сказал ему, что я надевал бы это, если бы он не успокаивался. Он набросился.” _I'll let him tell you that. But he's very angry. I told him I wouldn't put it on if he didn't calm down. He lashed out._

“Он набросился на Вас?” _Did he lash out at you?_

“Нет. Тони.” _No. Tony._

Clint groaned. It was going to be a long day. 

* * *

It should make him angry, that they were talking about him. They sat up in the cockpit and talked about him. It should make him mad. He knows that they know more languages than even he does, but they chose to speak in Russian. 

He finds he can’t be bothered by it. And it’s confusing. When he’d stomped up the ramp and shoved the muzzle into Natalia’s hands with an angry command for her to put it on, he hadn’t been thinking. 

She’d knocked his knees right out from underneath him, and set her hand firmly onto his shoulder. Then Stark had to make a stupid fucking comment about him and Steve’s relationship. James threw the closest thing, which happened to be a loose nut from the metal wall of the jet, at Tony’s face. And hit him square in the eye. 

Natalia venomously assured him she’d be having none of that, threatened him with his life if he even thought about moving a muscle, went to help Bruce with Tony, and then came back. 

He had frozen in place. Not moving and not breathing. Waves of nausea-inducing guilt rolled through him. But he didn’t say a thing. Didn’t move a muscle. Didn’t breathe. Then Natalia came back, dug her nails viciously into his shoulder, and spoke sharply into his ear. 

“There are certain things I can understand that you need, James. Everyone has them. But it doesn’t give you _any right or reason_ to snap or hurt my teammates. When this is over, you _will_ explain yourself to Clint and I. You _will_ apologise to Tony. And I _will never_ tolerate this kind of behaviour from you ever again. You have a problem? You deal with it like an adult and talk to one of us, understand me?” 

He’d nodded sincerely, unable to speak. He was grateful Natalia didn’t demand a verbal answer. He didn’t think he could give her one. But she slipped the muzzle gently over his mouth and nose and buckled it at the nape of his neck. She even went so far as to brush the stray baby hairs away from the clasp. Her fingers were gentle but firm and sure. It put him at ease for a few quiet moments...until Steve stormed in. 

His friend was angry, that much was obvious. He was scowling at Natalia so hard, it’s a wonder she didn’t shrivel up and die right then and there. Natalia didn’t look even the least bit concerned. Merely raised an unimpressed eyebrow and followed Barton into the cockpit a moment later when he arrived. 

The flight was tense and awkward mainly because of Steve and him, but he could easily hear Barton and Natalia’s conversation. When they got to the drop zone, everyone but Clint jumped out and started falling into formation. It only added fuel to Steve’s fire when Natalia was the one dishing out orders. 

“Barton will land the bird and get up in the sky as soon as he can. Rogers, Thor, get up in the front and create some noise. Banner, find a hole to hide in until we need you. Barnes with me. Stark eyes in the sky. Get moving.” Steve went to protest, but Natalia stared him down until he deflated a little bit. He stalked off with Thor and started taking his anger out on MODOK’s robots. 

Barton was on a perch quicker than he expected, if the purple and black arrows were anything to tell by. 

“Barnes, move to your right.” Barton’s cool baritone snapped over the comms. He obeyed without hesitance and a purple blur grazed over his left ear and impaled itself into the eye socket of a robot in front of him. 

_Christ Barton. How did you make that shot?_

They fought hard and wrapped up fast, with Barton shooting the electronic receiver for the robots straight out of MODOK’s bragging hands. Had he not had the muzzle on, James very well might have laughed at the villain's face of surprise. 

Stark grabbed the stunned MODOK and dropped him into the waiting hands of the S.H.I.E.L.D. authorities’ hands. Coulson came walking out of his mobile command van and joined the Avengers standing around. 

“Good job, everyone. Barnes, good responses. Romanov, I want to talk something over with you during debrief tomorrow. Barton, next time, try not to fall sixteen stories and give me a heart attack, but brilliant attack strategy. Bruce, I see you’re gaining more and more control and communication with Hulk, good job. Thor, try not to hit as many buildings next time. Rogers, next time, keep your damn temper tantrum at home. Four civilians were nearly hit by your shield. If you’re not going to take this seriously, there’s no need for you to be here.” 

Everyone was a bit stunned at Coulson’s tone to Steve, but it was true. Steve had been out of control the entire fight. It had cost them dear minutes when he began arguing with Clint over how to get the receiver from MODOK and of course, Coulson had heard every word. 

After cursory medical exams from the field medics, Barton went to retrieve the bird from wherever he landed it and they loaded it up and headed home. The flight was even tenser and awkward than before. 

When they got home, the silence lasted for all of maybe nine seconds, before Steve lost his shit. 

“How dare you try and push me aside, Romanov?” He seethed. 

Natasha spun on him dangerously, “How dare I? How about when the supposed ‘team captain’ can’t control his temper? When he doesn’t want to put the wellbeing of the team in front of his childish tantrums? When he can’t handle the slightest criticism or complaint? When he-” Natasha is cut off suddenly by Steve lunging at her and slugging her across the face. Barton immediately has two shots from his sidearm ringing out, catching Steve in the back of the knee and the bicep. 

The supersoldier howls in agony and turns on Clint. James makes himself useful and scoops up Natalia up and drags her into the kitchen. She’s stunned but no more than to be expected when you’ve just gotten slugged by a supersoldier. 

“I’m so sorry, Natalia. I’m sorry. Пожалуйста простите меня. Я сожалею.” _Please forgive me. I am sorry._

“James,” She snaps, there’s a no-bullshit command of authority in her voice, he instinctively snaps to attention, “He is not your responsibility to deal with. Do not treat him as someone who deserves as much.” 

“If I hadn-” He begins. She levels a glare at him that makes him shrink back. Even with one eye completely sealed shut, and the rest of her face swollen, red, and purple, she’s still the most terrifying person he’s ever known. 

“If you finish that sentence, Barnes, I will castrate you, cauterize your wounds over an open fire, and leave you for the flies.” And boy if that doesn’t shut him up. 

In the silence of their conversation, they can hear Barton and Rogers in the other room, “If you _ever, and I mean ever_ , lay another fucking hand on her Rogers, you’ll be dead and in hell before you can even blink. Don’t fucking test me, Rogers. This is a fucking warning, and you’ll never get another one.” 

Barton’s voice is venomous. It’s dangerous and it’s deathly serious. James doesn’t think for a second that Barton is bluffing. He hears Thor and Tony half escort, half drag Barton away, and slips out the kitchen. Bruce is kneeling next to Steve trying to put pressure on his wounds. Barton had apparently gotten a few more punches. 

“If you’ll take care of Natalia, Dr. Banner, I can take care of this punk.” He says quietly. Banner smiles gently and goes through the door he’d just come from. 

“Come on, punk. I thought your back alley street-fightin' days were over.” He murmured. 

“Don’t be such a jerk, Barnes. I had ‘em on the ropes.” Steve wheezed back. 

“That you did, Rogers, that you did.” He sighed. 

He really did miss his friendship with Steve. But ever since coming back, he’d been possessive, angry, and bitter. James didn’t understand what had happened to his friend, but he intended to find out. 

He stayed up with Steve through the night, helping him deal with healing from a shattered kneecap and humorous and talking. They talked a little about Brooklyn and the memories there. They talked a lot about the events that had gone down that night. They talked about the Soldier and his muzzle. They talked about Steve and his possessive jealousy. 

In the end, Steve begrudgingly accepts his reasoning for wanting to wear the muzzle. They talk for a while and decide that Steve should take a break and get away from the tower. Steve tries to get James to come alone, but he refuses. 

“I need time, Stevie. You’ll always be my best guy, but...not the way we used to be...I’m not the same I used to be and there are so many screws loose in my head. We’ve both changed, Stevie, and maybe it’s for the better and maybe it’s for the worse, but we’re not the same kids from Brooklyn 80 years ago. Hell, we’re not the same people from 10 minutes ago. I just...don't want you to live in a reality that isn’t real anymore, punk.” 

It sucked seeing the rejection and sadness on his friend’s face, but he knew he was doing what was best for both of them. What he said had been true, and he got the vague feeling he should have said it much, much sooner. 

Everyone was more than a little concerned when Steve announced he was leaving for a while at breakfast the next day. Except for the two people who weren’t at the table. 

Steve and James slowly made their way to Natasha’s floor and raised a shaky hand to knock on the door. 

The door flew open faster than either one of them could blink, and it was almost impossible to track Natalia’s hand as is flew through the air and collided sharply with Steve’s face, “If you ever even think about hitting me again, Steven Grant Rogers, you will pay. Dearly. Clear?” 

Steve rubbed his smarting jaw for a minute, “Yes ma’am.” 

He didn’t meet her eyes for a long while. She surprised him by pulling him in for a hug, “Be safe, Rogers. Get that head of yours screwed on right again. We’ll take care of him. And we’ll be here when you get back.” 

Steve smiled shakily, shouted a goodbye to Clint and walked down to the garage with James. 

He threw his bag over his shoulder and gave a sad grin to his friend, “Love ya, Buck. I’ll see ya in a while, yeah?” 

“Yeah, of course, punk. I’ll be here when you get back. Love ya too.” 

Steve’s lips quirked up some, “Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone, okay?” 

James’ lips snuck up without his permission, “Hard to do that when you’re taking all the stupid with you.” 

Steve wrapped him in a hug and they stood there for long moments. He eventually untangled himself and swung up on his bike. He pulls in the clutch, starts the bike up, and with an angry roar from the engine, speeds out of the garage. 

He’s sad to see his friend go, but he knows this time away from everything will do him some good. With tears in his eyes, that he will not admit are there, he goes inside and to his room, where he mopes the rest of the day until he falls into a, for once, dreamless sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two chapters in one night? Is the world ending? Probably. Let me know what you think, kiddos. I live solely off of comments and caffeine. And trust me, there is no shortage of caffeine. ;D
> 
>  
> 
> Come bother me on [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/nikolai-alexi) and encourage my lazy ass to write!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, yes, hi, it is I the most horrible writer in the world back at it again and starting a new fic before i finish the other one. Don't hate me, I'm sorry.
> 
>  
> 
> Come bother me on [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/nikolai-alexi) and encourage my lazy ass to write!


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